


Breaking Ethan

by SioDymph



Category: BoJack Horseman
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Slight Alternate Universe, Warnings May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-15
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:47:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22731208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SioDymph/pseuds/SioDymph
Summary: After Bojack ran off, everyone thought that would be the death of “Ethan Around”.But what if it wasn’t? What if Bradley found a way to remake the pilot and ended up creating a new show?Being both a writer and star of “Breaking Ethan” promises not to be an easy journey, but Bradley feels confident that he can make his way back into stardom. But will he get trapped in the same pitfalls his TV-dad and TV-sister fell into?
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	1. That Went Well...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might be wondering why I made this. (I'm asking myself the same thing lol)
> 
> But apparently this had to be written so I wrote it, hope you enjoy this opening!

_1991_

Nervously, Bradley prepared to knock on the door.

He didn’t know why but he hated just barging into a room. Especially when he knew the other person was busy. And even if they weren’t, he always had to psych himself up before he could just walk into a room. But a friendly voice called out before he could even knock.

“Come on in, kiddo!” Herb said, "You know my door's always open!"

That made him feel a little better. He stepped into the office. And there was Herb, typing away on the latest script for _Horsin' Around._ The grown-up swiveled around in his chair to look at Bradley. “So what can I do for you?” 

“I… I was wondering. How did you start making TV shows?”

Herb thought for a moment, “Well, first I started writing stories. And then I moved to California and turned those stories into scripts and began sending them to different television networks!”

“Ok, but why did you want to move to California?”

“That’s cause all the big movie stars and executives live here. And you know what they say: If you want to be in the action, then you go where the action is!” Herb replied.

“What about BoJack? How did he make it on the show?”

“Oh BoJack? He and I were buddies, we met when we were doing stand-up.”

“Stand-up?” Bradley asked.

“It’s when a bunch of adults get on stage and try to make people laugh. Think of it like being on a show, accept instead of making jokes for TV _and_ a live-studio audience, you’d only do it for the live-studio audience… That makes sense right?”

“I think so.” Bradly said, but he was still confused. “So what do you do when you want to make another show?”

“That’s when you send out another script and see who likes it. And the more people who know your name and know how you write, the easier it gets!” Herb said with a smile.

But Bradley didn’t seem as reassured. “Ok?”

“What’s the matter?”

“I…” Bradley looked to the ground, arms hugging himself. Lately rumors had started about the show ending. Bradley hated all the uncertainty, he felt like he was going insane. “Earlier Joelle said if the show gets canceled then she’ll leave for New York. But… But I don’t know what I’d do. Maybe I could write a script but… I don’t know how!”

He squeezed his eyes closed, and before he could say anything else a warm hand touched his shoulder. “Hey Bradley, it’s gonna be alright. I know there were some mean reviews last week, but across the country everyone loves _Horsin’ Around_! And even if they didn’t, I would never leave you and the others high and dry.”

“You wouldn’t?”

“I’d never dream of it! And if it makes you feel better, I promise no matter what my next project is, I’ll make sure you’re a part of it!"

“You promise, right?”

“I promise!”

_1994_

In the end, Herb was the one who was left high and dry.

As he was arrested and later fired, Bradley’s mom refused to let him try to talk to Herb. For several days she’d even kept him from going on set, “For his own safety” she’d claimed.

The whole time Bradley was so confused. What could Herb have possibly done that was so horrible? Herb Kazzaz was one of the nicest men he’d ever met, Bradley could never imagine him doing something bad. And yet all over the news there were pictures of him being carted away by police in handcuffs. People were protesting the show, demanding Herb be fired by the station.

Bradley couldn’t understand why everyone suddenly hated Herb so much.

He wished he knew how to write a good script. Herb always talked about “watching out for one another”, it was time someone watched out for Herb. Maybe if he could write a good episode, then Herb could act in it, and everyone would realize what a great guy he was.

Bradley tried writing a script of his own. It would be a special episode of _Horsin’ Around_ where a nice man came to the house to help The Horse raise his orphans. He’d tell funny jokes, cheer everyone up when they were sad and give out actual-helpful advice. Just like the real Herb Kazzaz always did. Bradley couldn’t write funny jokes the way Herb and BoJack could, and he didn’t know anything about writing a TV show, but he did his best.

His mom found out he was trying to write about Herb . She immediately threw his script out and told him not to “go looking for that horrible man”.

Luckily he made sure to print out several copies.

He tried giving BoJack a copy. BoJack thankfully didn’t throw his away. But he sadly told Bradley that “Herb’s a lost cause. Just go with the flow and everything will be fine.”.

A similar thing happened when he tried to give the script to Joelle.

Sarah Lynn ripped up his script and ran off crying when he tried asking her to read it.

Finally he gave the script to the new director, Danny Bananas. To his credit, Danny was the only person who actually took the time to read his script. He hummed a little as he thumbed through the pages. When he finally reached the end, where Herb’s character agreed to be their second dad and become a new character on the show, he frowned and closed the script.

“So? What do you think?” Bradley asked, silently hoping Danny wouldn’t destroy a script too. He was running out of copies.

“It’s too short, and a little to saccharine for my taste. The pacing is all over the place and you really need to work on your story structure… But you nailed everyone’s voices. You got some potential as a script writer.”

“So will you put this in the show?” Bradley asked, now getting more hopeful. “And can you get Herb Kazzaz to play the role of the new dad?”

“That’d be nice if I could… But you have to understand kid, making a TV show’s a little more complicated than that. I just can’t insert a new episode in just cause I want to. There’s a set schedule. There’s rules and codes set out by the station that we gotta follow, you know?”

All at once, that bubble of hope growing in Bradley burst. “So that’s a no?”

“It’s a no.” Danny continued. “But keep up the writing. Maybe someday in the future, you can write a show for Herb star in...”

_1995_

Bradley couldn’t wait for _Horsin’ Around_ to be over.

It wasn’t that Danny Bananas was a bad director or a bad guy. He was actually pretty nice, once you took the time to know him. He was no Herb Kazzaz, no one else could be, but it was clear he was trying to make a good show. And most of the time he didn’t mind talking with Bradley.

It was everyone else who was unbearable.

BoJack was even worse after Herb left. When he stepped on set he was the greatest, kindest guy. But as soon as the cameras stopped rolling he’d go back to berating Bradley and the others about not being good enough. Either that or he’d just brag about all the parties he went to and women he slept with.

Sarah Lynn was always off working on her new album. Bradley didn’t even know she sang but apparently her agents were setting her up to be the next big teen idol. He didn’t know how far she’d go though, he’d caught her popping pills several times on set now. And it was really starting to get on Bradley's nerves, having to work with her when she was high.

Joelle was off in her own world too. Though it wasn’t cause of drugs, thankfully. But she would equally phone-in all her lines. And she was always talking on the phone with her “other friends” and “other deals”. It seemed like if the show were to suddenly be over she was ready to go.

It was clear everyone was ready for the show to end. It was ready to die.

And while everyone else had their fabulous plans for new shows and new gigs, Bradley had nothing.

When he was done, he was just gonna leave California entirely.

Leave this whole part of his life behind.

_1999_

“Wait! You’re that kid from _Horsin’ Around?_ ”

Groaning, Bradley rolled his eyes so far back that his head tipped a little. He hated when this happened. All he wanted to do was make some new connections, bond with people in a real way. But that show always seemed to haunt him.

The lioness he was talking to kept going, reaching out and messing up Bradley’s hair so it was parted and pushed back.

“Yeah! You’re Ethan! I totally see it now! Ah man, I use to love that show-”

“Yep. I was Ethan. Big deal.” Bradley said bluntly, pushing away the Lioness’s hands. “I’m glad I made your childhood great or whatever, cause mine sure sucked.”

“Oh…” That seemed to reach the lioness, she paused her gushing and actually seemed slightly embarrassed. “Yeah, uh, sorry about that. That wasn’t cool… But I totally get where you’re coming from.”

Bradley looked over at her. “You do?”

“I mean, I was raised in the circus. And everyone always goes on and on about how great it was to see me and my family perform, but-”

“While you were busy putting on a show, everyone else got to have a real life?” Bradley finished.

“Yeah…”

The two shared a look. And right there, in some run-down bar in Olympia, Washington, Bradley felt a connection with another person. Closer than he’d ever felt towards anyone else in his life.

“What did you say your name was?”

The Lioness smiled, “Ringling.”

“Huh…” Not knowing how it would go, Bradley decided to risk a dumb joke. “That has a nice _ring_ to it!”

Lucky for him, Ringling laughed.

_2007_

Everything was good.

He had a successful business. A drop-dead gorgeous wife he adored and had a healthy relationship with. They fostered a son together, a shy little horse named Bruno. He was still adjusting to living with a new family but Bradley and Ringling were happy to provide him with a patient, loving home.

Everything was supposed to be good.

But Bradley couldn’t help but feel like something wasn’t settling right.

He was restless. He wanted to do something but he didn’t know what.

He'd been trying to write. He didn’t have any aspirations for being some big shot novelist, but it was nice to put his thoughts and ideas down on digital-paper. Hiding on his laptop was a file full of his writing. Short stories. Manuscripts. Even the occasional poem or song.

But no one was ever allowed to read his work.

The only exception was Ringling. She claimed his writing was good. But he always claimed that she was his wife and had to be nice.

But even writing wasn’t helping his restlessness.

Eventually it all came to a head when a guy came into the store asking to post flyers for his Open-Mic Comedy Night.

Bradley looked over the flyer up and down and realized it was something he wanted to try.

In the back of his head, he remembered Herb once saying he a BoJack got into television by doing stand-up but he did his best to brush away the thought. He wasn’t doing this to get famous again. He was just doing this cause he was bored and was looking for something fun to do…

_2008_

Bradley thought he was one of the worst acts at _the Mad Pine_ ’s _Comedy Night_.

But somehow he managed to turn that into his gimmick. He’d come on, tell a story about some dumb customer he got a work, say a few corny puns, then announce some of the other comedians of the night.

At least that’s how things had been working.

But for the strangest reason, people were really starting to like his stuff.

It was mostly his “Hardware Confessions” that seemed to reach people. And the more he practiced, the better he got at writing and delivering the punchlines. He even started doing some jokes on-the-spot.

The biggest thing though was his stage presence. He really started to interact with his audiences, whether he was jib-jabbing with someone in the crowd, or hyping everyone up for the next act.

In the beginning, he’d begged Ringling not to come to his shows. He believed that if he bombed, he wouldn’t be able to stand it if his wife was forced to watch him fail. But now that he wasn’t failing, he’d finally built up the courage to let Ringling see his show.

She claimed that even if she wasn’t married to Bradley, she would have loved his stand-up.

And Bradley found he actually believed her.

Things had been good before.

But now between his day job and night job going well, his amazing wife, amazing son and soon-to-be amazing baby girl on the way, things were really looking up for Bradley.

_2015_

After years and years of being content, deciding and re-deciding he was happy with how things were, Bradley finally decided it was time to be honest with himself. He was ready to go back to Hollywoo.

Losing Herb had awoken something in Bradley. Herb spent his entire life doing things. Big things. Important things he cared about. And yet in the end there were things like his secret manuscript that he always wanted to share with the world…

And he was only brave enough to release that story until after he was gone.

Hauntingly similar to the files of old stories hidden away on Bradley's computer.

It was then that he realized something. If he had dreams, whether they were good or not, then there was no time like the present to achieve them!

Screw saving his jokes for his night gigs at bars! Screw only acting for the local theater during the summer! Screw hiding his writing away where no one could see it! If he wanted to write a TV show, go out and get back on the airways, then he had to do just that!

So after talking things over with Ringling and the kids, (over the years their little family had grown with the additions of their foster daughter Kissimmee and their biological daughter, Bailey.) Bradley decided to travel out to Hollywoo and see if he could get his show going. Among all the stories on his computer, he’d put together the script for a theoretical pilot. A sequel to _Horsin’ Around_ that would follow Ethan as he became a father-figure to three little orphans of his own.

At first BoJack was interested in helping out, but then he said no. And it seemed like everyone else was going to reject him too. According to Hollywoo he was too old and too late. No one wanted to watch a silly, feel-good show about the day-to-day life of some little family…

But then Sarah Lynn passed away…

And Hollywoo quickly changed their tune after that.

Suddenly BoJack was available to be on the show. And everyone adored the idea of Ethan doing his own series about a found-family.

So he officially sold his hardware store, moved Ringling and the kids down to Hollywoo, got together a team, and began filming the pilot for his new show. It felt so weird being back on a set stage.

The weirdest part though was having BoJack back on set too.

He was nothing like how Bradley remembered. He was patient, attentive. He actually seemed to give a shit about Bradley. Encouraging him to take the bigger jokes. To take on the lead role as star of his own show.

Everything was actually going well…

And then it suddenly wasn’t.


	2. The Show Must Go On

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When plans suddenly chnage, Bradley and his Director have to make some changes to the show...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright I finally got together a second chapter! Hope you enjoy!

It happened during a power outage.

All day while recording the pilot episode the studio was having blackout issues. There was only so much they could do without any generators, so they made the most of it. Filming only when they had lights and going over the script when the next blackout knocked out the power. It was an alright system. It made filming somewhat clunky, but as long as they finished recording the pilot by then end of the week Bradley knew it would be worth the trouble.

And once they had an actual show on-air they wouldn’t have to worry about dumb, low-budget lighting issues. They would be in a professional studio. With an actual schedule and system in place. They could even get a live-studio audience.

So despite the weird schedule, Bojack and Bradley just powered through and did their best.

The same went for the three kid actors they got for the show; Sundance, Brambleberry and Chloe. Bradley felt so bad for them. He remembered his first experience being a kid on a sitcom. If his pilot recording had been anything like this mess, he doubted he would have stuck with acting. But these kids were being real troupers.

In the back of his head, Bradley was trying to figure out some way to say “thanks”. He couldn’t afford to get them a limo like Herb had done back in the day but Bradley knew he’d have to do something special. To show them he was happy to have such talented kids on his show. Based on what he already knew about his own children, you could never go wrong with a pizza party. That was probably his best bet.

Bojack and Chloe were going through their part, they had about half of the show filmed when the next big blackout shook the studio. 

Bradley had gotten up to grab a snack while they were on power-outage-break, still thinking of how he and the cast could go celebrate once they finished recording. He thought Bojack and Chloe would be ok if he left them alone. Bojack was different now. He trusted him. Not like back in the day, where Bojack would berate them when he thought no one was looking.

However when the lights came back on, Bojack was running for the door. Looking like he’d just seen a ghost.

Bradley tried to stop him but the Horse bolted from the room. Saying all this ominous stuff like “I can’t be here.” and that he “Can’t do this. Not again.”

And with that, Bradley’s co-star and the star-factor for his new show was gone.

Bradley tried calling Bojack’s phone but he wasn’t picking up. He was refusing to answer him.

The director, a fox by the name of Zeta Blaire, sighed heavily and made her way towards the doors. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be outside. I need a cigarette.”

Bradley was quick to follow the woman outside, the heavy metal doors closed behind him.

“Well, this is a shit show.” Zeta said as she lit up a cigarette. She turned to Bradley with a questioning look, “You want one?”

Bradley backed up, awkwardly “Oh, uh, no thank you. I don’t really smoke anymore. I- I just wanted to talk about what we should do next but I didn’t want the kids to overhear.”

“Fair enough.” Zeta replied, “Has Bojack said anything?”

“No.” Bradley said with a groan, “If anything, I think he’s ignoring me…”

“You know I’ve been doing some research. And this isn’t the first time Bojack had a meltdown and ghosted on filming. Did you know during Secretariat he was missing from set for three months?”

“Wha- why would he do that?” Bradley asked, somewhat shocked. “Secretariat was like his passion project! He, he seemed so happy during all the interviews.”

“That’s the funny thing about actors.” Zeta said dryly.

Bradley couldn’t believe it. He thought Bojack was better now. More stable and happy and all that. But he wasn’t so sure anymore. “So what do we do now?”

Zeta shrugged, “Keep filming? We only have the studio for a few days. Might as well finish what we started, you know?”

Bradley just groaned. “But it’s impossible! We can’t--Bojack he’s- The Horse is in literally every scene until the end!”

“Well fuck...” Zeta said. For a moment she just stared blankly down at the asphalt, taking a long drag from her cigarette, before turning back to Bradley. “You got time for rewrites?”

“I guess I have too…” Bradley sighed, before an idea came to him. “Wait… I brought my laptop with me, and it has my original scripts I wrote a couple years ago!”

For a moment, the dull, bored look in Zeta’s eyes sparked with interest. “Well then why are you wasting your time talking to me? Get that shit printed out. I’ll meet you inside in five minutes to go over what works.”

“I’m on it!”

With that, Bradley rushed back into the studio with a fire lit under him. He gave everyone permission to go home early that day and reassured the cast that tomorrow they would finish filming. Digging through his bag he pulled out his laptop, sure enough his folder with all the _Horsin’ Around_ Sequel scripts were there. It took a while to find a printer, but once he did he had several copies out and ready to go. When Zeta came back inside she asked him to keep his laptop out and get a blank document ready to go.

Together the two poured over Bradley’s original script, plus a few of the theoretical episodes he’d written and the pilot script that featured the Horse.

Using a green highlighter, Zeta began circling some sections of the _Ethan Around_ Script and Bradley’s original work. “Ok, so here’s what I’m thinking. Right now we have two options. Either we use what we’ve already filmed and change the end to follow one of your other scripts here. Or… we cut all the footage showing Bojack and start from scratch.”

Bradley looked over the notes Zeta was making before shaking his head. “I- Um- I really don’t know. What do you think?”

Spreading out the papers, Zeta started building a map, linking different parts of each script segment to segment. “On one hand keeping Bojack in would save money and film. All we’d have to do is change the ending. However… this is a pilot episode. And that means we have to properly introduce everyone. Keeping Bojack in would be confusing if he never comes back on the show. It’ll also steal time away from introducing you and the kids. So-”

“You think we should cut Bojack?”

Zeta shrugged. “I think so, but keep in mind this is also your show. You have a say in this.”

Bradley sighed and looked over the scripts as he thought. He’d fought so hard to get Bojack on the show. He paused not only his life, but his entire family’s life just to chase this dream when Bojack said he was in. It was because of Bojack that this pilot recording was even possible.

And while Bojack had been the one to storm out, Bradley didn’t feel comfortable just… leaving him behind.

But at the same time… If this pilot wasn’t good, Bradley could kiss his dreams of getting back in primetime goodbye. And there was no point in filming and trying to sell a pilot that made no sense.

On some level, Bradley already knew what decision he was going to make. He just needed to persuade himself.

Picking up his pencil, Bradley made some editing notes on the side of his script. “You know, if Bojack comes back later we can do an episode special with him then. An- And we can save some of this footage with him as bonus features for any DVD’s we make.”

“You really think we’ll get DVD’s?” Zeta asked.

“Well, I mean, I hope so. Don’t you?”

Zeta gave him a pointed look, “Bradley, I know you acted as a kid and got lucky, but you have to understand: most pilots don’t make it to TV. Hell, I’ve been trying to do children’s television for years and I’ve seen shows make it on air, only to be taken off air after a few bad episodes.”

Bradley felt like he was sinking. “You don’t believe in this?”

“I’m just trying to be honest.” Zeta answered. “Television’s a tricky science. And a show like yours, a family sitcom in 2015, that’s a risky move.”

“Ever since I got here, people have been telling me how risky this is. How risky it is to do a sitcom when reality TV’s all the rage! How risky it is to use Ethan when he was the most unpopular orphan! How risky it is to have a balding, dumpy, 40 year-old man be the star of the show! When did family-friendly primetime material become _risky_?”

“Well why do you think your show should be made?” Zeta asked.

When Bradley gave her a hurt look she raised her hands in mock defense. “When we take this to executives, that’s the first thing they’ll ask. They’ll want to know why your show deserves to air on their network.”

“Because,” Bradley trailed off for a moment before he found what to say. “When I first got to Hollywoo I faced a lot of rejection. But then something changed. With how rotten and miserable the world’s gotten I was told that the world now _needed_ something like _Horsin’ Around_. That people need something fun and light they can watch with the whole family.”

Finishing his thought he turned to Zeta.

“When we were filming _Horsin’ Around,_ a good man, Herb Kazzaz, always told us that we have to look out for one another. And yes, I do want to get back into writing and acting. But I realized when I wrote these scripts, I was trying to give myself some hope too. And with everything going on I think everyone needs a little hope. That’s why I want this show to air.”

Zeta listened to Bradley as he ranted. For a moment he was afraid the woman was going to take everything he said and crush it to dust with cynical sentiments. But instead she simply nodded.

“Ok.”

“Ok?”

“If you really want this pilot to do well, then I’ll do everything I can to help make this work.”

Bradley was a little worried the woman wasn’t going to before this point but quickly brushed the idea away. “Oh, uh, that’s great.”

“That starts with changing the name.”

“Wait, you don’t like the name?” Bradley asked.

“ _Ethan Around_ is a horrible name. It’s trying for nostalgia for all the wrong reasons. And it doesn’t make sense.” Zeta said bluntly. “I’m sorry but I gotta be honest.”

“Well, then what should we call it?”

“ _Horsin’ Around_ , is a great name because it’s both a pun, and quickly let’s you know what the show’s about. I think whatever title we pick for you should do something similar.”

“So… think of a bunch of different puns using the Ethan’s name?” Bradley asked unsure.

“We can put it on the back-burner as we get the new pilot script ready.” Zeta explained, “If we focus on it too hard it will be too forced.”

“That’s a good point.” Bradley said with a little laugh. “Jokes are a lot like farts, force it too hard and you end up with shit.”

“Rather crude. But yes.” Zeta replied.

“Or maybe like this: Jokes are a lot like puzzles. Cause you can spend all your time trying to force an odd piece into the frame but, um, it will never make sense.”

“What?”

“I don’t know, I’m thinking on the spot.” Bradley said sheepishly.

“Think more about your pilot. We gotta have this thing formatted and finalized by tomorrow.” Zeta huffed.

With that, the two got to work. While Bradley did have several scripts, they didn’t fit the kids’ voices. So Bradley went through and updated the orphans’ lines so they sounded like things Sundance, Brambleberry and Chloe would say. Or more so what their character’s Logan, Mackenzie and Julia would say. Meanwhile Zeta took care of formatting and direction so that the script made sense for the studio and they set they had to work with. And as they worked they both would occasionally shout out different Ethan-based puns they could think of.

By the end of the night the pair had the final script for their pilot episode plus a fitting title for the series.

“ _Breaking Ethan_ ,” Bradley said proudly, “The story of a how Ethan adopted three little orphans of his own, and how they learned what it meant to start a family.”

“Things weren’t always easy,” Zeta said with a smirk, “But they always managed to-”

“Break Ethan!” They both said together.

Bradley laughed, “This is so much fun! It, it makes me wish I’d done this sooner…”

Zeta shrugged, “Hey, it’s not like you weren’t doing anything before, you had a whole business-thing right?”

“Yes?”

“And you were a dad.”

“Still am actually.” Bradley replied. Before checking his watch. “Speaking of which I should probably head back. Ringling and the kids are probably wondering where I am by now.”

“Yeah,” Zeta agreed, getting up and popping her back. “My wife’s probably off work by now. I’ll see you tomorrow right? No running off like the horse from _Horsin’ Around_?”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Bradley said with a smile, packing up his stuff and grabbing his jacket. “See you tomorrow, Zeta.”

“Tell Ringling and the kids I said hello.”

“Will do!”

As they went their seperate ways, Bradley realized just how long it had been since he was on a studio lot. Especially like this. He swore he could see a vision of himself back then. A little kid, making his way back to his mom’s car after a long day of filming. The way to moon would reflect in little puddles and stones on the asphalt. How the studios and their sets would cast random shadows along the street lights.

Back then, as a dorky little kid and teen, he’d felt so lonely being on set. Most days he’d look forwards to night when he could trudge away from the studios and walk in and out of shadows.

And with those thoughts, Bradley made a promise to himself. No matter what, he was going to make sure that his show was a good experience for Sundance, Brambleberry and Chloe.

He’d make sure they were happy on set. Help them grow the type of friendship Herb had wanted the _Horsin’ Around_ cast to have.

And he knew he’d also have to make sure they were all safe. No one was going to be bullied on set. No one was going to be smuggling liquor and drugs into the studio.

The weird part was, Bradley didn’t feel all that worried or scared.

He’d been scared when Bojack ran off, he’d been scared when Zeta told him they’d have to do rewrites and that even then the show could still fail.

But for some reason, despite all the risk, Bradley didn’t feel scared. He believed in Zeta and everyone on the crew. He believed in Chloe and Sundance and Brambleberry. And for once he really believed in himself. He knew he could write, he knew he could be funny, he knew he could act.

He knew he could do this, as long as everyone was as willing to create this show as he was.

The feeling stayed with him as he drove home to his family.

Much later that night when Bradley got to the small apartment he and Ringling had rented, he told her about everything that had happened that day.

“He just ran off?” Ringling asked, shocked.

“Yeah and I have no idea what triggered it.” Bradley replied. “So for now, we’re filming the pilot without Bojack just in case he ghosts us.”

“Well good for you, for staying on your toes like that.” Ringling said before continuing. “I wonder what made him leave.”

Bradley thought on it. “With Bojack you can never be sure. He mentioned that my show was apparently, too much.”

“Maybe he wasn’t ready for it.” Ringling suggested quietly. “You know, ever since Sarah-”

“Well, whenever Bojack comes back we’ll be ready for him. But in the meantime I’m not gonna get my hopes up on getting him as a co-star.” Bradley finished.

Moving in closer, Ringling rested her head of Bradley’s shoulder. “I hope you know how proud I am of you.”

“Thanks babe.” Bradley replied lightly. “But enough about me, how was your day?”


End file.
